The Real Deal New York

NYPD watchdog says broker was improperly detained

Real estate agent Yahnick Martin was arrested last year in a stop-and-frisk

December 16, 2013 11:01AM

A Brooklyn police officer who arrested a real estate broker in the course of a so-called stop-and-frisk has been prosecuted by an independent police department watchdog for overstepping his authority.

In December 2011, officer Roman Goris stopped the cigar-puffing Yahnick Martin in Prospect Heights and questioned him about smoking marijuana. Martin, who is a broker at Brooklyn-based YLM Group, denied the accusation and blew smoke from his cigar, after which Goris ordered him to raise his hands and searched his pockets.

Martin then joked with Goris that the officer had taken $100 from his pocket. Goris apparently saw no humor in the remark, however, and arrested Martin for making the “false accusation,” according to a Brooklyn Federal Court civil lawsuit filed by Martin and seen by DNAinfo.

“You want to be a smart ass and make accusations, you go to jail,” one officer allegedly told Martin.

Martin’s suit also said his car was left running and unattended during his arrest, with a number of just-purchased Christmas presents inside. The car was later stolen, according to DNAinfo.

Two disorderly conduct charges against Martin were later dropped, the website said.

The city’s Civilian Complaint Review Board charged Goris with abuse of power and with questioning, stopping and frisking the broker without sufficient legal authority, according to DNAinfo. A hearing is set for January, according to DNAinfo.

Martin declined to comment to the website, as did Goris’ lawyers. [DNAinfo] – Hiten Samtani